Again putting up a fight in a major final, Akani Simbine led the South African charge by taking fifth place in the men's 100m event on Day 2 of the World Athletic Championships in Eugene, Oregon on Saturday. 

Simbine won his semi-final in the early session, setting a season's best of 9.97 seconds, and he went on to clock 10.01 in the final. 

Fred Kerley won gold in 9.86, leading a podium sweep for the United States. 

While Simbine reached the final, however, fellow South African 100m record holder Carina Horn was eliminated in the opening round of the women' 100m sprint. 

Horn crossed the line in 11.29 to finish fourth in her heat. 

Former world junior champion Sokwakhana Zazini kept his hopes alive, progressing beyond the first round of his 400m hurdles heat. 

Zazini was fifth in his heat in 50.09 and he will compete in the semi-finals on Day 3 of the global showpiece. 

In other disciplines on Day 2, Dominique Scott-Efurd tried to hang on in a lightning fast women's 10 000m final, ultimately settling for 17th position in 31:40.73. 

Antonio Alkana finished fifth in his 110m hurdles heat in13.64, while Ryan Mphahlele was 12th in his 1 500m heat in 3:39.17, and both athletes missed out on a place in the next round. 

Schedule of SA athletes, Day 3 (SA times): 

Sunday:
3.15pm - marathon, men (Melikhaya Frans, Tumelo Motlagale) 

8.05pm - 400m heats, men (Wayde van Niekerk, Zakhiti Nene) 

9pm - 400m heats, women (Miranda Coetzee) 

Monday:
2.05am - discus throw qualifiers, men (Werner Visser, Victor Hogan) 

3.03am - 400m hurdles semi-finals, men (Sokwakhana Zazini)